Anchorage Daily News

This year, a strong bipartisan effort by the Legislature put Alaska at the cutting edge for clean, efficient and diversified energy. With residents in rural Alaska paying up to $8 for a gallon of diesel, this could not have come at a better time.

Legislators overwhelmingly passed two bills that dramatically shift the direction of Alaska's energy future. HB 152 created a renewable energy fund authorizing $50 million in grants in its first year and an additional $50 million for each of the next four years. This was a priority for the conservation community, and I was constantly and pleasantly surprised at the outpouring of support for this bill from all over Alaska.

Investing $50 million in renewable energy was the responsible choice for legislators concerned about diversifying our energy supplies and stabilizing energy prices. Special credit goes to the bills' sponsors, Reps. John Harris and Bill Thomas; to Sens. Johnny Ellis and Gary Stevens, who sponsored identical legislation in the Senate; and to legislators like Sen. Bert Stedman, who offered amendments to make the bill better. The spirit of cooperation that helped this bill succeed is something I hope we can foster in years to come.

The second bill, SB 289, offers $300 million for expanding weatherization and energy-efficiency programs so they reach many more Alaskans. In these times of high energy prices, it makes sense to attempt to reduce energy demand.

I was impressed at how quickly and amicably members of the House and Senate worked to secure the $300 million. While the bill's sponsor, Sen. Lyman Hoffman, certainly deserves notable recognition, it took bipartisan support to get it through both legislative bodies in just one truncated 90-day session.

The Legislature also allocated $25 million for the transmission line to the Fire Island wind project, $1.5 million for geothermal exploration, $4.8 million for other wind projects and $2.5 million for a Susitna hydroelectric study and Railbelt energy plan.

If just one of these bills had passed, I would have walked away from the 25th legislative session quite pleased. However, near-unanimous passage of both bills, along with appropriations to the other projects, indicates something larger. It has put us on the right path toward a more secure clean-energy future. It has made Alaska a leader in our dedication to renewable energy. It has shown that our legislators are both capable of and willing to put politics aside for the long-term good of Alaska.

So regardless of where you live or who your legislators are, send them a thank-you -- they deserve it.

Kate Troll is executive director of Alaska Conservation Alliance, a consortium of 40 Alaska-based conservation organizations.

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